Work for respect, not popularity In the short term, promotions come and go – in the long game, respect builds a positive career trajectory. To build sustainable respect with your leaders, exhibit the capacity to look for solutions when others may have given up. Being the positive voice when difficult issues arise will set you apart in the minds of your colleagues, and leave the clear impression that you can be relied upon in difficult or complex circumstances. Consistent and positive body language, along with a constructive attitude, will always provide long-term rewards. Avoid being typecast Too many people allow themselves to believe that they are no longer relevant in the job market, normally because they have spent too much time in one role or with one employer. You must periodically test your employment relevance by mapping your skills against advertised roles, sometimes applying for different jobs, or having conversations with recruitment firms. This keeps you attuned to your own professional growth, or otherwise, and informs you for a better conversation at performance review or promotional opportunity times. It is a lot easier to build your case for promotion when you have an objective sense of your value in the market. It also serves as an alert to your employer that you have ambition and you are marking yourself to market. Always be gracious No matter how important your role is to you, it is not who you are. This is a simple reality that took me a long time to learn. The world of business is not always fair; your reaction to defeat is often the best test of character known to your leaders. Be the first to congratulate someone who beat you to a role and thank the respective leader for the opportunity to have been considered. Not only is this, in my view, the right human reaction, but I can almost guarantee you it will work for you in some strange way into the future - remember your reputation will be with that employer forever. Having responded appropriately, now is the time to calmly reflect on whether you now consider your promotional opportunities are more likely internally, or somewhere else. Carefully listen to your instinct on this. Apply these five principles of the long game and sooner or later that promotion will likely come, within or outside the business you currently work for. Business, like life, is all about learning more about yourself. In so doing, you will identify how you can make a valued contribution to your environment and stand out in the process.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 20:57:14 +0000
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